Report Writing: Formal 
               There are many different types of reports. This information is a basic outline only. Before you attempt to 
               write a report, you should check the particular requirements for the unit. 
               A formal report should have the following arrangement. 
               1.  Title Page — The title page must include the subject of the report, who the report is for, who the report 
               is by, and the date of submission.  
               2.  Abstract — An abstract is usually 100 to 200 words and should include the following: 
                             •      why the report has been written (i.e. what question or problem is it addressing?) 
                             •      how the study was undertaken 
                             •      what the main findings were 
                             •      what the significance of the findings is. 
               Be specific and precise so that the reader can get a good understanding of the main points without having 
               to read the whole report.  
               The abstract should be on a separate page with the centred heading Abstract. It is usually written in a 
               single paragraph with no indentation. 
               3.  Table of Contents — The table of contents should be on a separate page. It helps the reader to find 
               specific information and indicates how the information has been organised and what topics are covered. 
               The table of contents should also include a list of figures and a list of tables if any are used in the report. 
               4.  Introduction — The introduction has three main components: 
                      1.   Background, which describes events leading up to the existing situation, what projects 
                           have been done previously, and why the project or study is necessary. 
                      2.   Purpose, which defines what the project or study is to achieve, who authorised it, and the 
                           specific terms of reference. 
                      3.   Scope, which outlines any limitations imposed on the project, such as cost, time etc. 
               5.  Body — The body varies according to the type of report. Basically, it answers the questions Who? Why? 
               Where? When? What? How? In an investigative report, it would consist of all the information required to 
               convince the reader that the conclusions and recommendations are valid/reliable. This information must be 
               presented in a systematic way.  
               6.  Conclusion — The conclusion should be as brief as possible. It should present the findings in descending 
               order of importance and should not suggest action. Conclusions should be free from speculation (i.e., ideas 
               for which you have presented no evidence), have no new thoughts or references introduced, and contain 
               no further discussion of points raised. 
               7.  Recommendations — The recommendations should follow naturally from the conclusions. They should 
               be offered in descending order of importance and may be in point form when several recommendations 
               are being made. 
                
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      8.  References — The list of references is an accurate listing, in strict alphabetical order, of all the sources 
      referred to.  
      9.  Appendix/Appendices — The appendix/appendices contain important data, and explanatory and 
      illustrative material not included in the text. 
      Fonts and Spacing 
      In general, use a ‘serif’ font (such as Times New Roman). Serif fonts are more comfortable to read. Fonts 
      should be a minimum of 12 point, and 1.5 line spacing is recommended unless otherwise specified. Titles 
      and headings may be in a bold ‘sans serif’ font (such as Arial). Add a blank line between paragraphs or 
      indent the first line of a paragraph – not both.  
      Tables and figures 
      Tables, graphics and photos are placed immediately after they are first referred to in the text.  
      Tables and figures (which include graphics and photos) should be sequentially numbered as a separate 
      sequence (i.e., Table 1.1, 1.2, etc. and Figure 1.1, 1.2 etc.). In large reports with many chapters, they are 
      sequentially numbered according to chapter (i.e., in Chapter 2 numbering would start with Table 2.1 and 
      Figure 2.1).  
      Titles for tables and figures are left aligned above the table/figure.  
      The source of the table or figure should also be included. The source is usually in a smaller font (e.g. 10 
      point) and aligned on the left hand margin under a table or figure. In APA it begins with the word Note.  
                                
       
       
       
                                
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